The living room is a place for a relaxing holiday with the whole family. It is not surprising that the owners approach the design of this room with all responsibility.
The interior must meet a number of strict requirements:
- be comfortable, homely;
- have your own, unique appearance, reflecting the habits, lifestyle and worldview of the owners;
- embody the latest fashion trends or, on the contrary, create a sense of reliability, respectability;
- create a certain mood that perfectly suits the character of the tenants;
- to make a favorable impression on the guests, to please the owners with a beautiful appearance.
If necessary, the living room is divided into functional areas or combined with the kitchen. In this case, each functional area is worked out separately, but the overall style of the interior is necessarily preserved, combining everything into a single whole.
One of the most beloved, sought-after colors in which the living room is decorated is light blue. The azure palette provides a huge scope for bringing unusual, magnificent designs to life. It is multifaceted and incredibly attractive, gives a feeling of flight and spaciousness. We will tell you how to decorate a living room in light blue tones, choose furniture, what ideas to take for inspiration, and show you photo examples in this article.
Features of the light blue color and its effect on a person in the interior
The light blue color gives rise to the most pleasant associations:
- an endless azure dome overhead, illuminated by sunlight;
- transparent springs and clear forest lakes;
- turquoise tropical sea and the glitter of mountain glaciers;
- frosty patterns on glass on New Year’s Eve and the sparkling surface of snow fields at dusk.
It draws and fascinates, since ancient times it has been considered a sign of nobility.
Pure blue is cold, as well as turquoise, cornflower blue and gray-blue. However, it is worth adding a drop of yellow to it, and the colors acquire a wonderful, warm radiant light. Also, the heavenly and all its variations belong to the warm ones.
The azure palette has a beneficial effect on the psychological state of residents. It calms down, while activating thought processes and contributing to the search and memorization of new information, fruitful study and work. In addition, the heavenly blue helps to sort yourself out, gain a sense of inner balance and clarity of thinking.
The light blue palette is a great option for a living room combined with a study area or a sitting area.
However, everything needs a measure. If the room is painted with plain paint or pasted with pure blue wallpaper, the effect will be depressing. The abundance of azure will negatively affect the perception of the situation, which will quickly get bored. That is why shades of blue are creatively combined with each other, combined with other colors, looking for the golden mean.
There are several basic rules that should be followed in the process of decorating a room:
- Dark colors are used only to a limited extent, so as not to get a gloomy atmosphere. Special care is taken in small apartments and rooms facing north, heavily shaded by trees or buildings.
- Saturated dark shades are suitable for a spacious room with high ceilings.
- If the windows face south, then cold colors are preferred, otherwise preference is given to warm, pearly tones.
- It is better to leave the ceiling white or choose a transparent-light color – pale blue, cream, light beige.
- For interiors in heavenly colors, floor coverings of light, white or golden shades are selected. When using pastels, it is permissible to choose a parquet board or a chocolate, dark beige tile.
- If one wall is decorated as an accent, a variety of decor or accessories are hung on the opposite wall – large wall clocks, paintings and posters, mirrors, photos in beautiful frames.
Wall decoration can be any, from the usual wallpaper to fabric upholstery, decorative plaster or panels.
Furniture
What kind of furniture to choose for the blue living room?
Having decided on the finishing of the walls and floor, the type and color of the flooring, you can start furnishing. To get an attractive, comfortable interior, you should use the advice of specialists.
Finishing in light blue, pastel or white colors is well combined with more saturated, expressive furniture. Of the celestial shades, the following are suitable: bright blue; cobalt blue; royal blue; steel blue; turquoise; azure and cornflower blue. Also, it is permissible to use bold combinations with yellow, peach or red, burgundy, rich green, lilac.
For a sky- or bright blue, azure background or finishes in rich dark colors, light upholstery and facades are chosen: creamy-milky; snow-white and avery colors; pearl and gray-steel; the entire pastel and neutral palette, including beige and brown colors, as well as any types of natural wood or its high-quality imitation.
Sets of upholstered furniture (sofas and armchairs) are often selected in noble colors:
- black, graphite;
- dark grey, dark beige and chocolate;
- burgundy, purple and dark blue.
Such colors are more practical, the upholstery is easier to clean from accidental stains and dirt, it burns out less. If the soul asks for soft pastel, pure white tones, then such furniture must be kept in perfect order. Any pollution, yellowish spots from sunlight on such upholstery stand out noticeably and spoil the impression of a magnificent interior.
Lighting
A well–thought-out lighting scheme on several levels is one of the most important components of a stylish environment. A single chandelier under the ceiling is not able to provide high-quality lighting to all corners of the room. If you increase the number of lamps and their power, the result will be a blinding, uncomfortable light that will give sharp shadows and completely “kill” the ephemeral feeling of comfort. The solution is simple: additional lamps are distributed throughout the room.
In addition to the direct task of lighting, lighting fixtures become magnificent decorative elements that emphasize the interior style, accentuating attention. Designers recommend distributing light sources into functional zones, providing each of them with its own lamp. So, hanging products on long suspensions are hung above the dining table, a pair of wall sconces are placed above the sofa, and a floor lamp is placed next to the reading chair. On the ceiling, in addition to the main chandelier, point products or LED strips are mounted, additional spots or track systems are installed.
The special charm of the hall in pale blue or turquoise colors is emphasized by products with colored glass or fabric shades and a metallic golden, silver frame. For a room in blue tones, it is better to choose light bulbs with a warm, yellow spectrum of glow, but cold white should be abandoned. All lighting is done in a single, recognizable style.
Color combination
Color shades determine the mood that reigns in the room. That is why the selection criteria are not limited to a simple “like” or “dislike”. It is necessary to take into account the psychological component and traditional associations that arise with any color in order to get the desired result.
- The fiery, yellow-orange palette adds warmth and energy to the cold shades, creates a positive festive mood.
- Red shares his inexhaustible energy, awakens a craving for active activity, keeps in good shape.
- White elements give the room a strict, aristocratic and restrained look, add cold. Perfect for sunny rooms.
- Beige and brown create a feeling of home comfort, give pleasant memories. They are elegant and noble, magnificent in classic interiors.
- Pink, apricot-peach tones are suitable for romantic persons, allow you to soften the cold heavenly palette.
- The gray-blue palette refreshes, sets up a serious, businesslike mood.
- All green colors give a good mood, allow you to relax and unwind.
When combining paints, it is necessary to remember: there can be no more than two basic tones. The rest should be added carefully, with modest accents, so that color chaos does not result.
Decor and accessories
There are several rules that greatly simplify the selection of decor:
- For some stylistic trends, wall decoration in the form of wooden or plastic panels, wallpaper in color stripes or with pronounced prints is relevant;
- Accent curtains look better made of plain fabric;
- Light pastel, white fabrics are chosen for light curtains;
- The walls are decorated not only with paintings or photos. Designers advise to pay attention to climbing plants, mirrors and watches in exclusive frames, steering wheels and yacht models;
- Decorative pillows, as a rule, play the role of expressive accents, so they should be bright or darker than the upholstery;
- Vases made of transparent or colored glass, natural stone look stylish;
- The mantelpiece is a great place for a beautiful candelabra, statuettes or photos dear to the heart;
- The carpet is selected to match the curtains, upholstery or wall decoration, in color it should differ from the floor covering.
It is permissible to use colorful elements made of rattan or vine, forged metal, screens made of reed or natural fabrics. No less spectacular are carved and patterned wood products – partitions, candlesticks, caskets, furniture legs.